Innocence is No More
by Panda-Boo17
Summary: What would have happened if Ugluk had not said, "They are not for eating."? Waring: This may require a tissue! One-shot.


WARNING: This may require a tissue or two.

"I'm starvin'." a large Uruk said, "We ain't had nothin' but maggoty bread for three stinkin' days!"

"Yeah! Why can't we 'ave some meats?" a smaller Orcs agreed.

The Orc's gaze slowly fell to Merry and Pippin, who lay close together on the ground a few feet away.

"What 'bout them? They're fresh." the Orcs said, licking his black lips.

Unfortunaltely for the Hobbits, Ugluk had gone off somewhere to scout their route for in the morning and there was nothing to stop the other Orcs from doing something terrible to the young Hobbits. The larger Uruk charged at Pippin, grabbing him by the leg and dragging him away.

"NO!! MERRY, HELP ME!!!" he screamed.

Before Merry could respond, another Uruk was on top of him. The last thing Merry remembered was the Uruk holding a huge black knife above him....

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Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli ran along the border of Fangorn Forest, following the Uruk-Hai's tracks. Aragorn could tell the tracks were very fresh and he was driven by determination to find their dear friends.

"I can smell their stench; they are near." Legolas said, picking up the foul smell of Uruk flesh.

As they rounded a bend in the border of the forest, they were suddenly stopped dead in their tracks. Before them was a sight that no one in Middle-Earth should ever have had to see. Before them were many bones scattered across the ground and the ground was soaked with crimson blood. The foul smell of death hung heavily in the air and settled upon them like something terrible. But what chilled Aragorn to his marrow and would haunt him until his dying day was what was just a few feet away from him. On the blood-stained ground lay two tiny skulls. There were claw marks all over the two skulls and they were stained with blood. Aragorn collapsed to his knees, unable to withstand the wave of sorrow that hit him. With tears coming to his eyes, he reached out and picked up one of the skulls, just looking at it at a loss for words. He swiped his fingers over the skull, gently wiping away the blood and dirt; this poor being deserved better than to lay in the dirt.

"Th-this is....P-Pippin." he said, his voice choked with tears.

He could tell this skull was what remained of Pippin because it was slightly smaller than the other one. Aragorn never dreamed that he would be holding the empty skull of one of his dearest friends. It was hard to believe that just a day earlier this tiny skull was a bright, happy, innocent Hobbit that could laugh and smile.

"A-and this is....Merry." Aragorn said, picking up the other skull.

Aragorn didn't even want to imagine the pain and suffering these two poor Hobbits must have gone through to end up like this. To have those cruel, filthy Uruk-Hai clawing and biting at you, riping out your inside and shredding away your skin while you were still awake and breathing was just unimmaginable. How could someone be so heartless as to do something like this to such kind and innocent Hobbits such as Merry and Pippin?!

"_Heron hir. Hab wenath._" Legolas said in Elvish, bowing his head in respect of the two lost lives before him.

"We failed them." Gimli said, tears falling from his eyes and into his bushy beard.

"Come. We need to give them a proper burial." Aragorn said.

He took out one of his hunting knives and dug two holes in the ground that were about three feet deep and two feet long. He carfully gathered up the scattered bones and placed them in the freshly dug graves, placing the skulls on top. His tears flowed freely as he covered the dirt back over the holes.

"These were once happy, free Hobbits....their names were Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took. They were two of the best friends anyone could ever have. They could make you smile just by walking into the room." Aragorn said, standing up, "May they rest in heavenly peace forever more."

They spent several more minutes just standing there beside the graves, honoring them with silence. It was so hard to accept their loss, and as reality sunk in, they all cried and comforted one another. After they stopped crying, they forced themselves to walk away. As they walked sorrowfully away, Aragorn took one last look at the two tiny graves.

"They were very brave. May Eldar accept them in peace." he said, turning away and never looking back....

A/N: I hope you like it. I nearly cried as I wrote it.


End file.
